A revised masterplan outlining how 1,500 new homes should be built on the edge of Newton Abbot has been revealed.

The land at Wolborough, to the south of the town, is allocated for development in Teignbridge’s Local Plan.

At least 1,500 new homes, 10 hectares of land for employment, a road linking the A380 to the A381, education facilities, and other associated community facilities on 120 hectares of land that stretch eastwards from the A381 Totnes Road to Kingskerswell Road, next to the South Devon Highway and immediately south of Decoy Country Park, are proposed to be built.

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Teignbridge District Council next week are being asked to approve the preparation of a Development Plan Document, with a budget of £210,000. The DPD would have same status and weight as the Local Plan.

Aerial view of the NA3 Wolborough Masterplan

Consultation on the plans initially took place last summer as they were due to be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document, but following consultation responses and legal advice, it is recommended the document should be a DPD. A DPD provides a stronger solution to guide development proposals than an SPD.

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The DPD also outlines that the route of the proposed link road between the A380 and A381 has been changed so that it avoids the ‘extremely challenging change of levels around Stoneman’s Hill’ and is also pulled as far away from the listed St Mary the Virgin church.

The report of Simon Thornley, Business Manager, Strategic Place, to the council, says: “Teignbridge’s Local Plan allocates land at Wolborough for a mixed use development including at least 1,500 homes. Landowners have drawn up development proposals across the site. Planning applications and an appeal have already been lodged within the western ownership.

The Wolborough Masterplan

“There is concern that those proposals do not address the Local Plan requirement for a, ‘comprehensive landscape and design led masterplan for the strategic site allocation, produced with meaningful and continued input and engagement from stakeholders’.

“The update constitutes a comprehensive masterplan that officers consider would be suitable in addressing the associated Local Plan requirement if submitted with planning applications at Wolborough.”

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But he added that there is some resistance to the masterplan from PCL planning, who have submitted plans for the east of the site, primarily focussed on officers’ proposed prompt timescales for main street delivery and the scale of development that is indicated within the allocation’s most sensitive elements of the setting of St Mary’s Church.

The Wolborough Masterplan

Mr Thornley’s report adds that there is a risk that outline planning applications at Wolborough may be determined ahead of the Wolborough DPD being finalised. He says: “This risk cannot be avoided, the timetable outlined above cannot be accelerated and planning proposals cannot be held up during the preparation of this document. The DPD could still have a bearing on the detail and determination of reserved matters planning applications.

“Wolborough is a key Local Plan allocation and comprises around 1/8th of Teignbridge’s housing supply. Preparation of a DPD for the site will help to guide infrastructure delivery and development proposals that subsequently come forward.”

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The report outlines the timescale for the preparation and the adoption of the proposed Wolborough DPD.

Evidence gathering, including ecological surveys, would take place in the Spring/Summer of 2019

Public consultation on the draft DPD would take place in Summer 2019

The proposed DPD would be submitted in January/February 2020

Submission for Examination in Public would take place in May 2020

Examination of the DPD in Public would take place in August 2020

The DPD would be adopted in December 2020.

Teignbridge District Council at its meeting on January 14 is asked to approve the preparation of a Wolborough DPD, with a budget of £210,000 allocated.

The Wolborough Masterplan

THE MASTERPLAN

At least 1,500 homes, with a target of 20 per cent being affordable homes, are included in the Masterplan. Seven hectares of employment land across the site is currently allocated, while a neighbourhood hub has been identified in Neighbourhood 2 around the existing Wolborough Barton and close to St Mary’s church. Shops, a community building and a new primary school could all be included.

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The main street that runs from the A381 Totnes Road to Kingskerswell Road near the A380 will be delivered early in the development.

Four distinct neighbourhoods are included as part of the masterplan.

Neighbourhood 1: Land off Totnes Road

Includes houses, a direct pedestrian and cycle link between this area and the neighbourhood hub at Wolborough Barton Farm, Community Facilities & Playing Pitches to include MUGA, LEAP and playing pitches, Potential for shared parking and toilet facilities between the allotments, sports pitches, and play space and general industrial employment uses will be provided to the west off Totnes Road

Neighbourhood 2: Land south of Coach Road

Includes housing, a neighbourhood hub, a primary school, a children and young person’s play space

Neighbourhood 3: Land east of Decoy Brake

Includes housing and will retain a rural corridor to its southern edge which will comprise of retained farmland pasture and open fields for habitat creation

Neighbourhood 4: Land off Kingskerswell Road

Includes housing, employment land to the east of Kingskersewell Road, and a secondary school

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The provision of a new main street connecting the A381 to the A380 South Devon Highway

To create sustainable new neighbourhoods

To maintain the unique landscape setting of the site including the retention of existing woodland and the creation of a green buffer between proposed development and the southern boundary

Promote employment uses and strengthen the local economy

Create a new neighbourhood hub centred around Wolborough Barton Farm

Retaining a green infrastructure network

Three planning applications, submitted by PCL planning on behalf of the Rew family, for the 165-acre site are currently being considered having already been submitted. These applications will be judged against the council policy in place at the time when they are determined.

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Plans for 1,275 new homes will be determined by a planning inquiry after Teignbridge District Council ran out of time to make a decision, while a revised plan for 1,210 homes has been resubmitted to planners.

A full application for the change of use of existing agricultural buildings at Wolborough farmstead, next to St Mary’s Church, into a 14-bedroom boutique hotel, restaurant and bar is also included in both applications, and a separate application just for the new hotel, restaurant and bar conversion has been submitted as well.

Aerial view of Wolborough Barton, Newton Abbot (Image: Google)

What is a Development Plan Document?

Development Plan Documents (DPDs) are planning policy documents which make up the Local Plan. They help to guide development within a certain area by setting out the detailed planning policies. They are used to make decisions on planning applications.

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DPDs require a high level of community involvement, public consultations and independent assessment. They are officially adopted after a binding report is produced by an independent planning inspector following an independent examination. If a DPD is approved for Wolborough, there will be a public consultation in Summer 2019, including a drop-in event where local people will be able to ask questions and share their views.

Teignbridge will decide whether to approve a DPD to guide development at Wolborough, to clearly set out how development will happen.

How to share your views

People are welcome to attend the Full Council meeting and can submit questions in advance.

Cllr Humphrey Clemens

If you want to ask questions you will need to send you name, address and up to three questions to comsec@teignbridge.gov.uk for the Portfolio Holder, Cllr Humphrey Clemens.

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Questions should be received by 12 noon on Thursday, January 10. Each person will be given three minutes to ask their question. Questions will be taken for a total of 15 minutes. Please confirm if you wish to attend to ask your questions in person. It’s not necessary to be there, as questions will be answered at the meeting.